#074 - Anna Valdez
#074 - Anna Valdez
Destination: Anchorage, Alaska
Date: 13 - 19 June, 2021
About Anna Valdez
The Californian-based artist Anna Valdez discovered her skill for art making on a trip far from home, an archeology excavation trip to Ireland. Here she was encouraged to keep a sketchbook, creating scale drawings and maps of the site. Through visually reinterpretations of these “abandoned sites” she explored the connection between anthropological and artist methods of cataloguing and record keeping. Working in mediums such as painting, drawing, printmaking, collages and digital media, Anna Valdez examines the relationship between material and cultural identity, using domestic objects such as plants, textiles, vessels and keepsakes as a method of storytelling.
You can find more work of Anna on her website: www.annavaldez.com
About the destination:
Anchorage is the largest city in Alaska, and aside from everything that the city has to offer, it is also a gateway to the wilderness and mountains surrounding the city. Anna will be staying at a cabin near Bold Peak, the cabin is designed to give you the experience of being fully immersed in the vast nature surrounding the cabin. With a 180° view of the surrounding mountains from the comfort of an authentic Alaska dry cabin. With ample acces to hiking, biking, kayaking and anything else you can think of, it is always a reassuring thought that you are advised to bring bear spray along with you.
Details about the print
Dimensions: ± 50 x 70 cm
Colours: four colours
Edition: 50 prints, signed and numbered by the artist
A little word from Anna
"My main expectation for my trip was to do a lot of plein-air painting in the mountains. I was hoping to come face to face with bears and wolves, but I ended with only seeing a moose and her baby from up close, and one small black bear crossing the road. Which was all probably for the best.
I had always heard of how beautiful Alaska was, but nothing compares to actually being there. The landscape is so diverse. I was walking near a stream dressed in sandals and a tank top because it was so warm, but by the end of the trail I found myself in snowy mountains next to glaciers. It was incredibly romantic to be able to pull out my sketchbook and create watercolor paintings using the stream water from the glacier mountains. I’ve already begun planning a return trip to continue my plein-air painting adventure.
The light in Alaska made a really big impression on me during my trip. Living in California, I am so used to the light being pretty consistent based on the time of year. The sun comes up and the sun goes down at a specific time to signify the time of day, and night. I was in Alaska during the summer months and because of its extreme northeast location, the sun was out for 20 hours a day! I felt like the night never came.
Many of my sketches ended up being incorporated into various paintings for a new solo show and imagery onto ceramic vases. For the screen print of this trip, it made sense to make a drawing of one of those vase sketches to capture the spirit of this trip."
Travel diary
Monday, June 14, 2021
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
Wednesday, June 16, 2021
So far everywhere you look there is something interesting, lush and vibrant to draw from. I'm feeling overly stimulated because I want to draw and paint but I also want to hike and explore. Thankfully I'm balancing both because there is 24 hours of daylight each day. Time feels like it's both short and yet never ending. My body is so confused but I'm an insomniac anyways so I guess It's used to being confused.
Thursday, June 17, 2021
Friday, June 18, 2021
Today I visited the Spirit Houses in Eklutna. These colorful spirit houses are a uniquely Athabaskan tradition, according to cultural beliefs. Spirit houses were built by the family after the person’s death.
It was so amazing for a rainy day adventure! I also learned that the last Chief of the Eklutna area is buried at this graveyard (site) he also converted and became the local priest at the church. It's an interesting blend of Native and Russian Orthodox culture.
Saturday, June 20, 2021
Honestly, I never want to leave. I'm really thinking about coming back here next summer, maybe for a whole month. So much to do and see ... It's like... The most beautiful place
